The Tick Of The Clock
by Mayuna
Summary: Al is coming home Winry and your going to help me. He whispered to her. Winry's eyes widened. Edward Alphonse isn't coming home. If you dont like reading about Edward being an insane rapist look away. If your okay with this please read by all means
1. Chapter 1

_Tick, tick, tick, tick._

Edward sat hunched over at the desk in the small bedroom that was located at the back of the Rockbell house. The candle flickered warding off the shadows and the darkness that the night brought forth. It may have been able to drive off the night shadows but not his own.

_Scratch, scratch, scratch._

His pencil flew across the pure white paper of his notebook. Open textbooks lay all around cluttering the floor piled high nearly to the ceiling. He scowled at the equation he had just jotted out as it stared at him displeasing him. He ripped the page out angrily crumpling it in his hands. Oily finger prints tainted the pages purity from his right hand as he tossed it over his shoulder. He picked up his pencil again his face regaining its deadpan expression that he had worn ever since the day that…..

"Damn it no; don't think about that. We won't think about that Alphonse right? We'll just keep moving forward little brother just like we've always done." He whispered into the empty room picking up his pencil again. The door cracked open slowly as not to disturb its occupant. Winry peered in with one eye and sighed. Edward barely spoke, hardly ate and never slept it seemed. It didn't surprise her or her grandmother any how harsh he had taken the loss of his brother, they all had. Winry couldn't help but wonder though if Edward had lost his mind.

She closed the door quietly walking slowly to her own room. Nearly every day her mind wandered to the day five months prior when she had received the phone call from colonel Mustang.

"Alphonse is dead. I'm sorry." He had said bluntly.

"What?" Winry had asked her eyes already tearing over and spilling over.

"From what I can understand his soul just finally rejected the body it was forced to inhabit." Mustang explained to her. Winry shook her head unbelieving.

"Where's Edward? How is he?" She had sobbed out. Mustang had been quiet for a moment. "Colonel please!" She begged.

"You had better come here to central as fast as you can." He said and hung up.

When she arrived at central a few days later she was met by a teary Major Armstrong who had embraced her tightly, a bit too tightly, and walked her to the hospital where Edward had been staying. He lay on a bed sweating and mumbling his eyes darting underneath their lids. She had laid a hand against his forehead noticing the white straps that tied his wrists to the bed.

"Why is he being restrained?" Winry asked hoarsely.

"Edward became a threat to himself after…." The major had began before his gaze lowered to the ground unable to continue. A few days later he was released into Winry's custody and they made their way home to Resembool. She had tried to engage him in conversation but he remained silent. She had attempted to lay a hand against his but he pulled away. She had sighed resolving that in time after the funeral he would get better. Edward had always been a survivor this time would be no different. The casket had been large; it had to be to accommodate the metal shell that had been Alphonse. Winry had been always found it distressing that Al was empty but as she gazed at the immobile armor she realized that now the body truly was.

At first Edward went to the grave that read Trisha Elric beloved mother, Alphonse Elric beloved brother and son. He sat beside it leaning against it his eyes shut. He'd lay down along its length patting the ground and whispering softly just as he had done as a child and he had known he was in trouble. Winry had told him he wasn't in trouble, that he hadn't done anything wrong; _'What happened isn't your fault Edward'_. Still he would go day after day from sunrise long after sunset.

The complete seclusion had begun a couple months are he had gone to live with them. All he did was read and write. She couldn't help but be curious about what it was he was studying, what was he still trying to accomplish? She kept a close eye on him making sure he didn't attempt to bring Al back as the two had tried with their mother. She opened the door to her room and moved to her bed. Tiredly she plopped down and closed her eyes.

Edward gently set his pencil down and breathed hard as his heart pounded into his chest with the force of a sledgehammer. His eyes ran over the theory a few times quickly. Slowly he nodded his head.

"This, this could work. This makes sense. I can do it Al, all I need is a body. A living body." He said aloud. He licked his lips pushing his chair out to stand. Steadily he walked to the door opening it taking a right down the hallway towards Winrys room. He knew she wouldn't shut her door, she never did. Even if she had he would have been able to get in with alchemy.

He crossed the room as moonlight streamed in through her window basking her golden hair in it. Ed smirked to himself knowing that this would work. It had too. If it didn't what did he have to live for. Winry's eyes flickered open quickly and she gasped at the form that stood beside her bed.

"Edward! You scared me. Is everything alright?" She asked sitting up rubbing her eyes sleepily. Ed smiled at her and shook his head.

"Actually things are finally starting to look up." He said softly. Winry stared at him her mouth slightly agape before a smile crossed her lips.

"I'm glad to hear it Ed." She said. Ed nodded in agreement. "May I ask exactly what happened?"

"Well you see Winry I finally figured out a way for Alphonse to come home." He stated his tone serious. Winrys mouth dropped as panic seized her.

"Edward Al is dead. He's not coming home." She said sternly. Ed's smirk only widened.

"Al is coming home Winry and your going to help me." He said his golden eyes igniting with a sinister spark. Winry opened her mouth to speak only to have a hand clasped over it tightly. Edward pushed her back down against the bed pressing his weight against her as he laid on top of her. She screamed into his flesh hand as his metal one worked at his belt. She whipped her head from side to side as she felt her pants ripped off of her. Tears fell down as she shut her eyes tightly. This was a nightmare, she was still asleep. Edward was a lot of things but a rapist was not one of them. The pain tore into her being as he entered her and pushed roughly. She cried out as more tears collected and streamed down.

"It will be alright Winry, everything will be alright because Al's coming home. I just need your help Winry please. I need you to concentrate and focus on the matter at hand here. Concentrate on Alphonse think only about him." He whispered into her ear. She opened her eyes to stare at him. His eyes were shut tight and the muscles in his face was tight but not from pleasure, concentration.

The realization as to what exactly Edward thought he could accomplish became clear to her.

'_Edward this isn't going to work! Even if I do get pregnant you can't trade our baby's soul for your brothers!'_ He mind screamed at him but his hand remained tight against her mouth. She was helpless against him. His body tensed as he climaxed spilling his seed deep in her body. He collapsed against her for a minute before standing back up. He readjusted his pants and stared at her for a moment before taking her hand away.

"Go back to sleep Winry. Don't worry about anything I'll take care of all of it. Whatever you don't get up okay? If you do I'll know." He spat out the last part as a threat before leaving the room closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

_Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick._

Winry stared at the clock. How long had she been laying in her bed for? Quickly she wiped the tears that she cried each night placing her bare feet against the wooden floor. She rubbed her stomach feeling the urge to tear up again. The baby had started to move yesterday making it real for her. Ed had stayed in his room after he had raped her as he had been doing recently until he realized that she in fact pregnant. Every moment he was with her it seemed making sure she didn't do any strenuous labor or hardly anything at all for that matter.

Winry had pushed the assault to the back of her mind and had told no one. To everyone else, her grandmother included, teenagers would be teenagers and make stupid mistakes. What everyone didn't know however was Edward whispered to the fetus calling it Alphonse. Telling it all the things that they would do once they were reunited. Winry tried to talk to Ed, tried to tell him that this wasn't Al, this was a new person; _'Alphonse cant be brought back Edward! Haven't you realized you can't bring back the dead yet?'_ Her words and pleas fell on deaf ears however. Ed completely ignored her, she felt as if she were just some vessel to use to fulfill Edwards ludicrous plan.

_Clink, clink, clink._

The familiar sound of metal hitting metal as her grandmother worked busily downstairs. Winry sighed feeling horrible that she wasn't able to help her elderly grandparent, they had already been backed up as it was and now it seemed as if there was no end in sight. Winry walked to the mirror and lifted up her nightgown staring at the stretched skin of her abdomen. It looked like it should have been painful but it wasn't in fact she hadn't even realized it was happening until the baby kicked. A small smile crept across her face as she felt fluttery movements within her. She placed her palm flat against her stomach where she guessed the baby was and caressed it lovingly.

The door opened quickly slamming into the wall. Winry dropped her nightgown and turned quickly on her heels startled. Edward stood in the door frame a scowl on his face.

"What were you doing to Al?" He asked narrowing his eyes as he did so. Winry felt her heart pump in her chest loudly as a small wave of fear gripped her.

"Ed I…the baby it's moving." She said knowing it was pointless to argue with him. Ed's eyes grew wide as he walked briskly over to her and placed his flesh hand flat against her stomach.

"Where I don't feel anything." He said sounding annoyed. Winry took his hand and moved it slightly to the right.

"There, it was right there a minute ag….see there." She said softly as it moved again. Ed's eyes softened as he felt the small movement under his hand. If he hadn't been paying attention he would have missed it entirely but it was there. Al was alive, he would be fine. Ed smiled happily rubbing the spot. Winry watched him intently and for a moment she saw the old Edward. For a brief second she thought that maybe Edward would look at her. That Edward would apologize to her for what he'd done. That he'd sink to his knees sobbing maybe even beating his fists against the floor apologizing to his dead brother for what had happened. Winry would embrace him, he would acknowledge their child as not being Alphonse and they would be together.

Edward did sink to his knees however it wasn't in apology. He placed his face against her stomach and sighed deeply.

"Alphonse everything will be alright now, you'll see little brother. This time it will be different I swear it." He said softly dashing away Winry's hopes in a heart beat. "Al's hungry." Ed said standing after a few minutes had passed. His tone came out cold as if he were only speaking to her out of necessity. He grabbed her wrist pulling her behind him. He sat her at the kitchen table and began gathering breakfast things.

"Lets see how about some pancakes today Alphonse, I know how much you like those and I'll even make you some chocolate milk." He said with a slight grimace but a laugh accompanied it; another fluttery movement as if in response. Winry placed her hand against her stomach. Edward turned his back to her as he grabbed a frying pan and began warming it over the stove.

Pinako walked in from the basement seeing Edward attempting breakfast. She smirked at the way Ed had been fussing over her granddaughter since the unexpected arrival. She had been slightly disappointed at first seeing how the two were so young but in the long run she figured maybe a baby would be best. Perhaps a baby's love would heal them all. Her gaze trailed to the kitchen table where her granddaughter sat looking somewhat bewildered. Pinako felt her heart race at the way Winry stared at Edward fear written clear across her face.

"Edward would you mind going into town for me. There are a few things that I need to finish up this job." She said walking to stand between Ed and her granddaughter. Ed shook his head once.

"I can't I'm making breakfast for A…for Winry." He said softly.

"I'll finish its not trouble Edward now please I'm just not as spry as I used to be." She said keeping her tone light as not to put the situation in any further distress. Ed sighed clearly annoyed.

"Fine then I'll go." He said throwing his hands up in the air. He opened the kitchen door and slammed it behind him. Pinako watched him walk down the dirt path from the window before pulling up a seat next to Winry. She didn't have to say anything. She placed a hand on top of the girls and she burst into tears. She sobbed and sniffled unable to stop her tears.

"There baby there. Tell me what's wrong sweetheart." She soothed. Winry took a few deep breaths knowing she had to tell her grandmother what was wrong, what Edward had done and what he planned to do.

Edward wasn't stupid. He was genius for crying out loud! He knew why Pinako had sent him out so he waited until he was sure she wasn't watching him anymore and ran to the left of the house. He snuck underneath the open kitchen window and sat. He knew he would be able to hear everything that was being said._ 'Remember when we used to listen to the adult conversations under this window Al?'_

"Granny, Edward has gone completely insane. He thinks he can bring Al back and what's worse is that he's going to use the baby to do it." Winry said. Pinako clutched her granddaughters hand tightly.

"Winry are you serious? When did he decide this?" She asked alarmed. Winry adverted her gaze elsewhere.

"The night that he….raped me." She replied softly. Pinako gasped and quickly made her way to the phone picking it up.

"That boy needs help that's for sure and I'll be damned if he stays here any longer than what's necessary." She said placing the receiver up to her ear. Her intention was to call central headquarters, speak to colonel Mustang or one of his subordinates. Someone who knew the situation well; they would be able to help Edward. At first her mind didn't process that there was no dial tone but when it did he felt her heart beat louder. She placed the phone down. Her head whipped in the direction of the window quickly as she thought she caught a flash of something but realized it was just the sun hitting the window.

"Winry I'm going out for a moment I'll be right back. If Edward comes back act normal understand?" She asked. Winry nodded her head slowly and watched as her grandmother opened the front door and walked out.

Edward saw Pinako step off the porch and knew it was time to make his move. He ran quickly behind her wrapping an arm around the old woman's waist and firmly clamping a hand over her mouth dragging her behind the house.

"You won't take Al from me do you understand you old bat? No one will keep my brother from me!" He whispered fiercely into her ear tossing her roughly to the ground. She hit it hard knocking her glasses off upon impact. She made an attempt to crawl away but Edward was soon pushing her onto her back. He straddled himself over her placing his hands against her throat. The world seemed to dim yet at the same time become bright as flashes of white passed across her vision. She felt herself slipping away as she stared up at the crazed boy sadly. _'I delivered you when you were born Edward as well as Winry, I had hoped I would have done the same for your child…..'_

"I thought I told you to stay where I put you." Winry turned away from the stove quickly.

"Ed I just was..." She stammered as her body began to tremble. Ed eyed her carefully before grabbing her wrist and redirecting her to the table. Winry sat down heavily as Ed resumed cooking. He placed a plate in front of her and sat in the chair next to hers. He placed his hand against her stomach with a smile on his face.

"Don't you worry Al no one will take you from me. I've made sure of that." He said. Winry dropped her fork and stared at him her eyes wide. "I wont let anyone take you away from me, I don't care who tries it."


	3. Chapter 3

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

The sound seemed to amplify in the otherwise empty room. Winry bit down on her pillow until her jaw ached to keep from screaming. The pain had begun an hour before right after she laid down to sleep. She knew all to well what the source of that pain was as she placed a hand over the round bulge that was her stomach.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

Another contraction, more biting down until she tasted blood in her mouth; she had to keep the baby away from Edward for as long as possible. She knew she had to protect her baby from him. The pain dulled down somewhat and she panted heavily wiping the sweat from her forehead before it beaded down. Her thoughts turned to Edward as her eyes closed heavily. At first she hadn't wanted to believe what her mind told her had happened when her grandmother didn't return. That night she snuck out onto the balcony and contemplated at least asking him where he had buried her, if he had been so kind but had decided against it; the next day Edward transmuted a sign on the door saying that Rockbell auto-mail was closed due to illness. Hardly anyone in Resembool traveled the dead end path to their house as it was so those that did would quickly turn around the other way seeing how it wasn't out of the ordinary to do such a thing in the small rural village. No one came. Winry was alone with Edward and his insane mumbling rants to 'Alphonse'. As her due date approached he had become more irritable than she had ever seen him, nervous also. As if he could hardly contain his excitement.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

White hot scorching pain hit her causing her to scream out loud. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't suppress it. She gripped her bed sheet tightly and dug her toes into the mattress arching her back slightly as if that would relieve some of it. The scream tore from her throat shrilly causing her heart to pound in fear. Before the pain relented Edward was already in her room flicking on the light. He ran over to her quickly grabbing the blankets and elevating her legs. She opened her eyes breathing heavily and watched him as he worked. From the looks of things he had been studying child birth and delivery techniques. He seemed calm paying little to no attention to her but that was nothing new.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

The pain became more profound as the minutes passed and gave way to hours. The sun began to rise above the horizon when she distantly heard Edward saying something. At first she dismissed it until she felt something pinch her arm.

"Ouch!" She cried out opening her eyes. She looked down at her arm that had a red circle on it a bruise already forming.

"Winry start pushing now!" Ed ordered. Winry was in not particularly in the mood to argue so she did as she was told and bared down. She felt her body begin to shiver as she did so as her muscles tensed. She closed her eyes tightly as her head began to pound loudly. She took a deep breath as she felt the massive pressure of what she presumed was the baby's head as it came out.

"Stop!" Ed said. Winry opened her eyes and watched as he was doing something. He had something in his hand, what was that? What was he doing? She strained her neck to see Edward putting his finger in the baby's mouth clearing it out. He rested a hand against it's head and smiled. "Almost Al just a little bit longer and we'll be together again I swear it." He whispered softly. His eyes hardened as they fell on Winry again. "Push."

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

Winry felt her body tare as her child was pulled from her body. She screamed loudly as a burning pain replaced the cramping she had felt throughout. She laid back against her pillow panting. Ed was quiet. The baby screamed loudly. Winry heard Edward stand. She opened her eyes to see Edward staring at the infant that still lay at the end of the bed shaking his head from side to side his eyes wide in horror.

"No you're….this…this isn't right!" He shouted at the baby. Winry pulled herself into a sitting position despite the protests her body gave and caught a glimpse of her baby, her daughter, for the first time. She reached out to grab her child only to have Edward do it first. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at the little girl.

"Edward no; please don't hurt her!" Winry cried out as tears began to spill down her face. Ed's eyes softened as he shook his head.

"It's just a body, it doesn't matter what it looks like. It will still be Al." He said crossing the room to the door.

"Edward! Give me my baby!" Winry screamed climbing out of bed clumsily only to fall on the ground as her legs gave out on her. "No! Please Edward don't do this to our daughter!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears as he walked out of the room shut the door locking it behind him.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

Winry searched her room desperately for something, anything to free herself with. A wrench or a hammer to break down the door, a screwdriver to take the hinges off; anything. She reached underneath her bed finding only a long screw. She stared at it feeling her heart break in two but knew it was worth a shot. Slowly she walked over to the door placing the tip of the screw into the ones that held the hinges of the door in place.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

One hinge off, two more….

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

One more, only one more; please move faster.

TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK.

She dropped the last hinge on the ground and kicked at the door a few times causing it to splinter enough she could fit through. She ran towards Edwards bedroom to find it empty. She ran a hand through her bangs as her mind raced desperately as to where he could have gone. She ran down the stairs catching herself from falling more than once and ran to the kitchen door. She took off down the dirt path that lead to the scorched foundation that had once been the Elric household. It was the only place Ed would go or at least she thought it made sense. Sure enough she saw Ed hunched over on his knees drawing an array. The baby screamed loudly breaking the early morning stillness. Winry picked up the first thing she could find, a rock. She inched towards Ed walking up behind him. Her hand trembled as a sob threatened to tare from her chest. Edward Elric; they had been friends all of their lives. As small children they played together, went to school together, slept over each others houses. Now she stood inches away from him holding a rock above his head ready to strike.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you Edward." She said softly. Ed's body tensed in that instant and he began to turn around. Winry brought her hand down quickly closing her eyes feeling it make impact. Ed let out a startled cry before the thud as he hit the ground. Winry opened her eyes letting out a sob as she stared at her friend. The back of his skull was crushed in where she had hit him the blood pooled quickly out. Winry sunk to her knees burying her face in her hands as she sobbed.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Ti……

Inside the Rockbell household the clock stopped.


End file.
